


I Saw a Dream that Never Died

by Olsies



Category: IT (Movies - Muschietti), IT - Stephen King, The Skeleton Twins (2014)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Everyone Lives/Nobody Dies, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Fluff, Fluff and Angst, M/M, Past Suicide Attempt, suicide attempt anniversary, trauma anniversary
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-26
Updated: 2020-08-26
Packaged: 2021-03-06 17:35:24
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,896
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26112745
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Olsies/pseuds/Olsies
Summary: Two years post Derry, two years post that awful bath, Stan, his boyfriend, and their friends go on a vaction.
Relationships: Beverly Marsh & Stanley Uris, Stanley Uris/Milo Dean
Comments: 4
Kudos: 5





	I Saw a Dream that Never Died

**Author's Note:**

> this fic came into being the other day when i saw this [post](https://ull-float-too.tumblr.com/post/627286833779343360/when-stan-wants-to-take-a-bath-richie-gets-in-the) and [post](https://benhanscomisnotstraight.tumblr.com/post/627269526804955136)
> 
> i absolutely _love_ the skeleton twins, and i _love_ stan uris. and my brain just sorta did a little pop.
> 
> this is totally self indulgent, and i hope the four of you that like skeleton twins enjoy this. <3
> 
> the title is from "soft universe" by aurora. you should give it a listen. it's so good.
> 
> come visit me on [tumblr](https://nblesbianbenhanscom.tumblr.com/)

Sometimes Stan gets lost inside himself. He doesn’t mean to, has no control over it. One minute he’s there, the next he’s not.

When he and his boyfriend, Milo, check into their room at the hotel in Florida, Stan is excited for the chance to relax. He’s not prepared for the complimentary give basket of goodies to have a bath bomb in it. Maybe he should have expected it considering the size of the tub, but he’s not.

When he jumps as Milo comes up to see what he’s looking at, Milo looks at him, _really_ looks at him.

“Hey, you ok?” Milo asks.

Stan opens his mouth to respond, but nothing comes out.

Looking at the basket, Milo sees and understands.

Neither of them have taken a bath in _years_.

“Let me-” Milo takes the bath bomb out of the basket and puts it in the closet.

Even though it is late, there is a soft knock on the door connecting the suites. Before Milo opens it, Stan knows it’s Bev. She smiles when she sees Stan.

“I know it’s late, but it’s our first night here, and the rest of us are going to watch a movie. Do you want to join us?”

Milo opens his mouth to respond, but Stan interrupts him.

“Yeah, ok. Let me just change and we’ll be over.”

Milo turns to look at Stan. Bev’s eyes linger on Stan. She knows _something_ is up, but she isn't sure what. She always seems to know when he needs her the most.

“We’ll be right over,” Stan says again. Bev nods and Milo closes the door softly.

“You’re not too tired?” Milo asks.

Licking his lips, Stan shakes his head, no. He doesn’t know how to explain the things he’s seen and felt, what they’d all seen and felt as kids and just a few years before when the others went back to Derry. Stan had not gone with them, but when he woke up in the hospital, they were all there, and they never left each other alone again.

When Eddie and Bill left their wives, the others had gone to help them pack. When they found out about Tom, the guys had offered to go and get her stuff, but she told them she already had everything she needed with them.

They all moved to Nyack in the spring. Milo and his sister, Maggie, had stumbled into their lives a few months later and never wandered out. Maggie, Ben, and Bev started dating pretty quickly, but things with Milo and Stan moved a little slower.

Stan smiles as he thinks about their first kiss. They’d been friends for several months, and they were sitting in Milo’s room on his fold out couch, just hanging out. Milo had been ranting about something, and looked _so fucking cute_ that Stan just had to kiss him, so he did.

Milo had blinked at him. “What was that for?”

“Because I like you.”

Smiling, Milo shifted closer. “I like you, too, Stanny.” He leaned over and kissed Stan back.

That had been just over a year ago, and Stan still can’t believe how lucky he is to have found Milo.

“Are you sure you’re up for this?” Milo asks again, bringing Stan back to the present.

Stan looks down at the suitcase he’s just opened. Nodding, Stan swallows. “Yeah, I’m just feeling a little off, but I’ll be ok.”

“If you want to leave early, just let me know.”

Stan doesn’t know how to explain that being with the Losers would ground him in ways that Milo couldn’t without hurting his feelings, so he just presses a soft kiss into Milo’s temple.

“I love you so much,” Stan says.

“I love you, too.”

They change into pajamas and go to Bev’s suite. The others are there already, pillows and blankets strewn all around. Taking Milo’s hand, Stan sits next to Bev, and rests his head on her shoulder.

Bev covers his wrist with the palm of her hand in silent acknowledgement. Tomorrow would be two years to the day that Stan had taken his last bath. He wishes he could explain to Milo what had happened, but the Losers had promised they wouldn’t, and Stan isn’t about to break another promise to them.

When the movie starts, Stan curls around Milo and closes his eyes.

When he opens them again, Milo is whispering his name, trying to wake him up without disturbing the others who are all asleep. The TV is off and the room is dark.

“What’s up, Milo?”

“I wanna go to bed.”

“Mmm.” Yawning, Stan starts to move and realizes Bev is spooning him. “Can’t. Bev’s sleeping on me. It’s against the law to disturb her.”

Taking a deep breath, Milo strokes Stan’s hair. Stan falls back to sleep a few minutes later.

When he wakes up again, Richie is patting his ass like it’s a set of drums.

“Staniel, my love, wakey, wakey,” Richie sing-songs.

Taking a deep breath, Stan squeezes Milo a little and rolls onto his side.

“What do you want, Richie?”

“For you to wake up so we can go get breakfast and go to the park!” Richie says.

Rubbing his eyes with the palms of his hands, Stan sits up and looks around trying to remember where they are. They are in Florida on a group vacation. Over the past several months, Richie had talked non-stop about Disney World.

“What time even is it?”

“Just after seven,” Milo says. He sits up and kisses Stan’s cheek. “I’m gonna go take a shower. Want to join me?”

“You know I would, but I’m pretty sure Eddie would get mad,” Richie says and winks at Stan.

“Stop hitting on my boyfriend,” Stan says and pushes Richie’s face away. “We’ll be back in a bit.”

Stan and Milo get up. They go back to their room and hop in the shower. Stan loves taking showers with Milo even when they don’t do anything but wash themselves and share soft kisses which is what this shower is. When they get out, they get dressed and go back to Bev’s suit where the others are waiting.

After breakfast, they spend the day running around Disney World and Stan doesn’t have much time to think. The others hover around him, at least two of them always within his sight.

If it weren’t for the bath bomb, Stan knows he would have probably been annoyed, but as it stands, just seeing them helps. And Milo stays within arms reach, and that also helps.

It is a good day.

When they get back to the hotel, Stan is too tired to do anything but fall into bed after tugging on some pajamas.

He wakes up in the middle of the night, sobbing. Milo is awake instantly. He turns on the light and looks at Stan who is laying there, desperately trying to catch his breath.

“Stan-” Milo starts but stops when Stan sits up and shoves himself into Milo’s arms. He can’t stop shaking even as Milo holds him close and rubs his back. “Hey, hey. You’re ok. Breathe. You’re ok.”

Stan just clings to him. All he can hear is Pennywise’s laughter. All he can see is that horrific woman’s face.

“It was a dream. You’re safe. You’re ok.”

Stan wants to tell him it’s more than a dream, but he just shoves his face into Milo’s neck and keeps crying. Milo just rubs his back, holding him close.

“You’re ok, you’re ok, you’re safe,” Milo whispers into his hair.

When Stan finally stops crying, he stays in Milo’s lap and clings tightly to him. He is embarrassed and exhausted. Milo takes a deep breath and kisses Stan’s forehead.

“I’m sorry,” Stan manages eventually.

“Nothing to be sorry about,” Milo says. “Do you want to talk about it?”

Sighing, Stan licks his lips. “I- I can’t.” Eventually Stan pulls away. “I have to use the restroom.” Milo lets him up and Stan goes to the bathroom. He leaves the door open a crack as he pees. After washing his hands, Stan goes out and finds Milo leaning back on the headboard, eating some chocolate and watching something stupid on TV.

Stan crawls back in bed and lays on top of Milo, stretching out between his legs, and using his stomach as a pillow. Milo rubs his back and Stan tries to focus on this and not the terrifying woman that tried to eat his face in the sewer all those years ago.

Eventually he falls back asleep. When he wakes up again, the room is bright. Milo is still holding him and Stan wonders if he’d gone back to sleep.

“Hey, you awake?” Milo asks.

“Mmm…” Stan replies. “What time is it?”

“After ten.”

“How-” Stan clears his throat. “How did you get the others-”

“Bev texted me asking how we slept. When I told her, she said I should let you sleep and we could meet up with them later.”

Rubbing his face, Stan sits up. “You eat yet?”

Shaking his head, Milo says, “I thought it was against the law to get up when someone is sleeping on you.”

Smiling, Stan leans over and kisses him. “I love you so much.”

Milo cups his cheek, and rests his forehead against Stan’s. “I love you, too, baby.”

Taking a deep breath, Stan gets up. “We should order room service and go find the others.”

“Sounds good.”

They order coffee, pancakes, eggs, and fruit. They eat it on the small balcony, and have an easy morning. Once they are done, Stan calls Bev, and they pick a place to meet up. The day is so busy Stan almost forgets about his woes, but every once in a while, he catches one of his friends looking at him or Eddie weirdly.

It is weird to think about what _almost_ happened, what the group could have lost.

Before he can get lost in thought, someone grabs his hand and they are off again.

When they get back to the hotel, they order pizza, and watch TV for a while in Bev’s suite. Stan can feel himself growing quiet again when Milo drags him back to their room.

“What can I do?” Milo asks once they are alone.

Stan shrugs. “Let's take a shower.”

They strip and go to the bathroom together. Milo turns on the water and when it’s warm enough, they get in. Stan lets Milo wash his hair, something Stan loves but doesn’t do often because his soft curls couldn’t handle getting washed too often. When they get out, Milo towels them both off, but they don’t bother with clothes, just fall into bed, naked.

They share slow, soft kisses, that turn into Stan grinding gently into Milo. They are both panting softly when Stan pulls away.

“Be right back.” He kisses Milo’s hair and gets up. He grabs the lube from his back and crawls back to Milo. “Is this ok?”

Milo nods and kisses him.

Stan takes his time working Milo open. They usually go faster, rougher, but Milo doesn’t complain. He just keens and pants softly. When Stan does finally sink in, Milo just sighs. Stan rocks slowly, and Milo whimpers.

Stan finds a good rhythm, his face shoved into Milo’s neck as the other man just clings to him, taking whatever Stan will give him.

“‘M close, Stan,” Milo huffs. “I need-” Stan cuts him off with another kiss. Without stopping, Stan begins stroking Milo and Milo’s head rolls back. “Yeah. Yeah…” He cums a few minutes later with a sharp cry, and Stan follows quickly. He doesn’t pull out right away, just lays there breathing in the sweet scent of Milo’s sweat.

They get up eventually, jump back in the shower to rinse off, and go back to bed. They curl up tightly together.

Stan wakes up early the next morning and sits on the balcony, watching the birds. He’s not surprised when Eddie and Richie come out and sit with him. Eddie wants to be near Stan today, and Richie’s not about to let Eddie out of his sight. Stan’s not sure where Milo is, but he knows he’s not far.

All of them end up eating room service in Stan and Milo’s room before they get going for the day.

The next few days go by, and Stan forgets all about the bath bomb until he’s pulling some blankets down from the closet. It lands with a soft _thud_ on the carpet. Stan looks down at it as Bev comes over to help him.

“Hey, you ok?” She asks when she sees his face.

“Yeah, I’m fine.” Stan gently kicks the bath bomb back into the closet and goes to his friends. 

That night, after they've gone back to their rooms, Stan goes to the closet and picks up the bath bomb. When Milo sees him, he pales.

“Shit! Shit! Stan! I am so sorry!” He goes over to Stan, reaches for the ball, but Stan pulls away.

“There’s nothing to be afraid of any more,” Stan tells him. Milo lets out a soft breath. “Let’s go use this.”

Taking a deep breath, Milo lets it out quickly. Stan knows what he’s asking, can sense Milo’s feelings. He hadn’t had a bath either for several years for the same reason.

“Ok,” Milo says. “But you have to wash my hair and be the big spoon.”

“Fair enough,” Stan says. They leave the TV on and go into the bathroom. Stan sets the bath bomb down and turns on the water while Milo gets undressed. Once they are both naked, they climb in together. The tub is _huge_ and they can comfortably sit shoulder to shoulder, but Stan pulls Milo close after dropping the bomb in.

They watch it bubble and fizz, and Stan lets his mind wander a bit. It has been such a good week, he doesn’t want it to end. He smiles and kisses Milo’s hair when he realizes it won’t.

Bev will always be there to check on him, Richie to annoy him, the others to include him, to give him space, and Milo to love him.

When the tub is full, Stan leans forward and turns off the water. Milo settles against his chest and listens to him breathe.

There are words Stan wants to say, but they get stuck in his throat when Milo picks up his hand and kisses his wrist.

“I’m glad we’re still here,” Milo says softly, his mouth still up against Stan’s wrist.

“I’m glad we’re still here, too,” Stan whispers back. He wraps his fingers around Milo’s wrist and rubs his thumb gently across it.

A bit later they get out and take a quick shower where Stan _does_ wash Milo’s hair. Stan knows baths will always be hard for them, but it’s kind of nice to know it isn’t something that he _has_ to be afraid of.

When they get out, they pull on some pajamas and go to the bed. Stan is almost asleep when Milo clears his throat.

“Hey, Stan? Are you still awake?”

“Barely. You ok?”

“Yeah,” Milo whispers. “I love you.”

“I love you, too, Milo.”

They fall silent.

“Is that all?”

“I don’t know how to say what I want to say.”

“Just say it, we can muddle through it.”

Smiling, Milo kisses his chest.

“I know there are things you keep from me. Something happened to you and your friends when you were kids, something bad, and that’s why you have such vivid and horrific nightmares.” Stan clutches at him tightly, and Milo squeezes his hand. “It’s ok. I’m not asking you to tell me. You don’t have to tell me.”

“It’s not that I don’t want to,” Stan tries.

“Really, it’s ok. Some things are too big to explain,” Milo says softly. Stan looks down at Milo in the dark and wonders if there are things Milo hasn’t told him. “I just want you to know, I’ll always be here. I don’t have to understand what broke you to help pick up the pieces.”

Letting out a weird noise, Stan pulls Milo up and kisses him. The relief that floods through Stan is almost frightening. He didn’t even know how much not being able to tell Milo about Derry had been weighing on him until Milo told him it would be ok if it never happened.

“I love you so much,” Stan whispers as he barely breaks the kiss.

“I love you, too.” Milo kisses him again.

They kiss for a long time and when they eventually break apart, Stan curls up behind Milo and they watch cartoons until they fall asleep.

For once, Stan gets decent sleep.

The rest of the trip goes by smoothly. Everyone has a good time and they have an uneventful trip home.

When Stan and Milo get back to their place, Milo _immediately_ goes to the fish tank and begins talking to their fish even as Stan begins unpacking.

Once he is content the fish are fine, Milo puts on some music. He and Stan dance around as they unpack, kissing and touching when they want as much as they want. After they finish, they order some food and curl up on the couch content to be together in the moment.


End file.
